How to Pretty Up Desk?

Wendy M
by Wendy M
Hello, I found this desk at my neighbor's garage sale and want to fix it up to look pretty. Does anyone have any ideas? I originally wanted to do robin's egg blue and red stencil accents, but the room it is going in is a light to med. blue already (doubt hubby will want it painted) I also considered mod podge ideas and white with some other modern design type stencil on top. Any ideas?? Thanks!!
  11 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Jul 22, 2012
    There was a post here some months back were a dresser was dressed up with the application of some sheet music...decopage type stuff. There are also a number of Shabby Chic stuff here...
  • Z Z on Jul 22, 2012
    Wendy if we could see the room it will be in that would help. Too bad it's already painted. Well for me it would be anyway. I love woodworking, but hate removing paint. Not that I can't come up with a gazillion ideas without the room, it's just most probably wouldn't fit with your personal style.
  • Wendy M Wendy M on Jul 22, 2012
    the room is right now still part playroom, phasing it out to become more of a craft room/working space area. I'll try to get a pic, but it basically will be a totally new space to create - the walls are a kind of sea blue color.
  • Z Z on Jul 22, 2012
    So will you design the space around this piece or do you have a vision in your head of what style you want the room to be?
  • Wendy M Wendy M on Jul 22, 2012
    Well, my vision is similar of what you see on Houzz craft rooms, with one side of the room having long table space with drawers and cabinets/storage above. where I want to put the desk is on a short wall inbetween 2 windows (pretty much the wall is the 2 windows and the space in the middle) and put a painted peg board above and accessories to hold various things. It would also be a good space for my kids to work at as well. I know it is hard to visualize without a photo of the room. I think I need to stick with maybe a white color and make it sort of shabby chic maybe, but I am drawn to bold colors, tastefully and simply done.
  • Z Z on Jul 22, 2012
    Thanks Wendy. My desk is between two windows and I sure do enjoy the view so I think that's a great choice on placment. With the info you gave me I'd paint the desk a shade of white or leave it as is since it looks in good shape) but add some of the color you crave on each drawer. It also makes it easy to tell your children where to find items they needs. It's in the red drawer. Or since you mentioned blue you could take your wall paint and do all the drawers in it. Or maybe shades of that blue. If you like more DIY then you could add anaglypta wall paper to the front of the drawers and side panels similar to what I did to my daughter's dresser shown below...
  • Vivian S Vivian S on Jul 22, 2012
    Wendy, consider the chalk paint effect. There are some good postings on Housetalk about how to create a chalk paint effect and you might be able to do that with white over this gold color. If I can find a pic I'll attach a link.
  • Vivian S Vivian S on Jul 22, 2012
    I read about putting some Vaseline on some edges where you don't want paint to adhere but this site has a lot of paint techniques... you could get lost http://pinterest.com/mbtm/diy-paint-techniques/
  • Jackie I Jackie I on Jul 26, 2012
    I saw a technique that was very pretty and easy too. Get a piece of old lace or even some paper doilies. After you've put your main color on the desk, position the lace on the drawer fronts with some spray on tacky glue and lightly spray paint another color over the lace. You can do this on the top in any random pattern you like. I f you do the desk in robins egg blue it might look pretty if the lace were white
  • Pamela Field Pamela Field on Oct 13, 2016
    those flat front drawers easily lend itself to a stencil or raised stencil. Chose colors that will compliment your existing decor. The knobs are fine, but you could easily dress it up by using a more decorative option.